DOCS-IN-PROGRESS panel at the 2013 Montclair Film Festival
May 7th, 2013 by Mr. C
(All photos below by mr c)
(R-L: Jerome Bongiorno,Marylou Bongiorno,Julie Winokur,Dawn Porter,Nancy Abraham)
We had missed the Race and Film panel earlier in the day in which film critics from Grantland, New York magazine & Variety discussed how they approach race when writing about film. But we were able to catch the very informative DOCS-IN-PROGRESS panel held at the Montclair Public Library. This panel would include film clips and a discussion on 3 documentaries in progress by acclaimed NJ Film Teams: Dawn Porter (Spies in Mississippi), Julie Winokur (Bring It to the Table), and Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno & Jerome Bongiorno (The Rule). Nancy Abraham from HBO Documentary Films was also on hand for the discussion.
THE RULE directed by Marylou Tibaldo-bongiorno & Jerome Bongiorno
This seemed to be a very interesting film about the long history of the Monks of Newark Abbey the so called Monks in the Hood and their strong commitment to Newark,NJ and their teachings at the Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School. The school’s success can directly be attributed to the monks who work and teach there. The Monks of Abbey have strong ties to the community of Newark. The Rule’s main objective is to tell the tale of this dynamic group and their influence on the culturally & demographically diverse student body at Saint Benedict’s.
BRING IT TO THE TABLE directed by Julie Winokur
This enlightening documentary is meant to ignite sparks to unite citizens together in order to open up a friendly dialogue to discuss issues that would normally drive us all apart. Talking about politics seems to be such a taboo these days that conversations and debates on important topics amongst the different political parties are all but rare. Bring it to the Table is an attempt to engage the community to talk in order to bridge the gap between political parties so that we can really begin to solve problems in society instead of being loyal and just hiding behind party affiliations. This project’s goal is just as simple as sitting at the table to talk politics and to have an open discussion on the best way to get to the bottom of issues at hand. The director Julie Winokur mentioned something at the panel that rang so true to me. Julie said that when you gather like minded individuals together, they often become extremists which sometimes creates an atmosphere akin to a gathering of bullies. It’s very hard to open up free conversations in an environment like that. Julie’s statement really hit home with me.
SPIES IN MISSISSIPPI directed by Dawn Porter
This documentary was a very intriguing story of a secret spy agency formed by the State of Mississippi in order to preserve segregation and support white supremacy during the 1950s and 1960s. This secret agency’s main strategy was to undercut the civil right activists to gain a stronghold in their agenda for supremacy. The agency employed a healthy network of informants and investigators to infiltrate these civil rights organizations. Talk about some serious spy files in our backyard during the civil rights movement! I’ll have to add this film to my to watch list!
(Julie Winokur – director of Bring it to the Table)
(Nancy Abraham – HBO Documentary Films)
(Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno & Jerome Bongiorno – directors of The Rule)
(L-R: Nancy Abraham and Dawn Porter – director of Spies in Mississippi)
Tags: 2013 montclair film festival, docs in progress, mff13
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